Toyota recalls Lexus GX 460 SUV rated 'safety risk'

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automaker, will recall the Lexus GX 460 sport-utility vehicle that Consumer Reports magazine rated a "safety risk" because the model can roll over in certain driving conditions.

Toyota, which is paying a $16.4 million U.S. fine for violations in the recall of vehicles with defects tied to sudden acceleration, will fix software in the 2010 SUV's stability control system, the company said today in an e-mailed statement. About 9,400 GX 460s will be recalled in the U.S., Toyota said.

"From the moment we heard about this issue, Lexus and our dealers acted quickly to resolve the situation," Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager, said in the statement. "Our dealers will now personally reach out to customers to set up appointments to make this modification."

The company, based in Toyota City, Japan, last week halted production and sales of the SUV after Consumer Reports issued a "don't buy" recommendation, saying the GX 460 may be prone to rolling over in emergency driving conditions. The magazine, published by the non-profit Consumers Union in Yonkers, New York, issued its rating on April 13.

Lexus dealers will have the software fix for the one-hour repair by the end of April, Toyota said. Owners will be notified by mail beginning in early May, and owners may bring in their GX 460s as soon as the repair is available, the company said. In Europe, Toyota said it will recall 7,500 Land Cruisers and GX 460s to reprogram the control system and in Canada the company said it is recalling 446 of the GX 460s.

Record Fine

Toyota, whose U.S. sales unit is in Torrance, California, said April 16 its engineers replicated the handling flaw that Consumer Reports found and would work on a remedy.